


Of Petty Cats, Anxious Dogs and Crafty Foxes

by Blanquette



Series: Of Petty Cats, Anxious Dogs and Crafty Foxes [1]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cats, Eventual Happy Ending, Getting Back Together, Light Angst, M/M, Minhyuk the wise, One Shot, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 23:38:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12641649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blanquette/pseuds/Blanquette
Summary: Minhyuk dumps a cat at Kihyun's place, because the guy needs something to look after. The cat already has an owner, though. It's all part of the plan.





	Of Petty Cats, Anxious Dogs and Crafty Foxes

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Français available: [Of Petty Cats, Anxious Dogs and Crafty Foxes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14361003) by [Mathiiel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mathiiel/pseuds/Mathiiel)



> Some things might sound familiar if you've read my previous one shot. I guess I just like Kihyun yelling through doors about not giving cats back.

1.

It’s too early in the morning to be awake, he thinks. But there’s pounding at his door, mirroring the pounding behind his eyelids, and he sighs, rolling off the bed, taking the comforter with him. He falls down with a soft thud, knocking over a can of beer that spills on the wooden floor. He doesn’t mind. The apartment is a mess anyway. He takes a few seconds to make sense of his limbs, wraps himself more tightly in his cover, and gets up, sluggishly trudging to the door.

“Good afternoon, sunshine!”

His mouth is dry, his headache increasing, and Minhyuk really is the last person he wants to see right now. He’s too loud. Too smiley. Kihyun scoots back, blinking.

“Afternoon?”

“Did you just wake up?”

He doesn’t dignify that with a response. If Minhyuk can’t tell by the state he’s in, he’s beyond all help. Kihyun stifles a yawn, blinks again, and that’s only then that he notices the animal in his friend’s arms.

“What’s this?”

 “A cat.”

“I don’t like cats.”

“You do. You love them. You’re just salty because they hate you. That’s different.”

Kihyun sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Decides he needs to sit down and turns around to find his couch, buried somewhere under a pile of empty take out boxes that he pushes to the floor to make room for his person. Minhyuk follows uninvited, kicking the door close behind him.

“Why are you here with a cat that probably hates me at ass o’clock?”

“Two o’clock. You really need to do some cleaning around here. This place is a dump. Where is the neat freak we all know and love?”

“He’s dead. Embrace the new me.”

Minhyuk wrinkles his nose, pushes over a pizza box with his foot before sitting down, the cat still held against his chest. It’s something grey with judgmental yellow eyes that dart around the room. Kihyun suddenly feels self-conscious about the mess in his apartment. He didn’t need to give the animal more reasons to hate him.

“It’s been months, Kihyun.”

“Really? And here I was, thinking it had only been three days at most."

Minhyuk rolls his eyes, shift sthe animal in his arms, who lets itself be handled like a ragdoll.

“I need you to cat sit for me.”

“What?”

“My building doesn’t allow pets, so you need to keep it.”

“Until when? Why do you have a cat when you know you can’t have one? What the hell? Where did it came from?”

“My friend picked it up from the shelter.”

“Your friend? What friend? Is your friend stupid?”

“Yes, but for entirely different reasons. Now do you want to say ‘friend’ one more time or can I explain?”

Turns out said friend is more like a couch-crasher that needs some time to find their own, pet-friendly place, hence the cat-sitting. Kihyun says no. Minhyuk carts a litter box in the kitchen. Kihyun says there’s no way in hell he’s taking care of some guy’s cat. Minhyuk says sure, and drags inside the biggest haul of cat food Kihyun has even seen. Kihyun says get out. Minhyuk says have fun. Kihyun says I won’t, Minhyuk says his name is Captain Fracasse.

 

2.

Cats hate Kihyun. Minhyuk tells him it’s because he’s too eager, so he looks up tips on the internet to make Captain Fracasse love him. He cleans his place, first, because the cat didn’t suffer a bad break-up and probably doesn’t want to live in a filthy depression cave. He does feel slightly better, after spending two days polishing floors and laundering everything he can put his hands on.

He makes a show of giving the cat his food so that he knows who he should be thankful for. He goes out, buys everything the pet shop clerk recommends. Catnip filled toys. Things on strings. Scratchposts. He even comes up with toys himself, because he’s bored. He starts talking to the cat, too. They watch TV together at night. At first the cat curls up next to Kihyun on the sofa, but soon he takes up residence on his lap, and the first time he starts purring when Kihyun scratches him behind the ears feels like a victory.

Two months later, Kihyun is pretty sure Captain Fracasse is deeply in love with him. When he brags to Minhyuk, he doesn’t tell him it’s mutual and that his friend can go die before he gives him back the cat. 

 

3.

Kihyun opens the door, only to slam it close right again. The man on the other side barely had time to open his mouth, but Kihyun doesn’t want to hear what he has to say. Captain Fracasse watches him curiously from his spot on the couch, one leg stuck high in the air, startled in his grooming. Kihyun stares, and the cat jumps down to come rub against his legs. There comes a soft knock again, and Kihyun slides to the floor, burying his hand in Captain’s soft fur, who starts to purr.

“Hyung, come on. Open the door. Please?”

His heart is beating too fast, he can feel it against his ribcage, hears it in his ears. What on earth is Changkyun doing here? Fracasse doesn’t seem to have an answer for him, just content on being scratched behind the ears, tail swinging lightly. Cats are useless in times of crisis.

“I just came for the cat, hyung. Captain Fracasse? Minhyuk told me you have him. It’s mine.”

His hand freezes on the feline’s head, who headbutts it a few times in protest, before padding back to the couch, where he curls up on himself. So, Fracasse is Changkyun’s cat. He should have known. He shouldn’t have trusted Minhyuk when he showed up that day, arms full of fur and yellow eyes. The man always has ulterior motives.

“If you don’t want to see me, just… Just put his stuff outside or something. Okay?”

There’s no way Changkyun is getting that cat back.

“There’s no way you’re getting that cat back.”

“What?”

There’s irritation in the deep voice on the other side of the door. Kihyun doesn’t care.

“I’m not giving you the cat back!”

“Hyung, come on. Don’t be childish.”

Kihyun laughs. It’s dry and it hurts on the way out.

“Captain doesn’t remember you now, Changkyun-ah. You’ve been gone. He doesn’t need you.”

There’s silence, thick and heavy, and if Kihyun closes his eyes he can picture exactly how Changkyun looks right now, lips drawn in a taut line, eyes narrow. He wonders if he still has the same hair color, if he’s still wearing earrings and too-big sweaters. Has to consciously remind himself that he doesn’t care, that his fingers aren’t itching to open the door, that he doesn’t want to see him, even just once, that if his chest feels too tight, it’s not because he’s missing him too much.

“Are we still talking about the cat?”

“Fuck off, Changkyun.”

“No. Open the door.”

Kihyun hoists himself up, looks at Fracasse who fell asleep on the sofa. He slicks his hair back, clenches his jaw. Turns back toward the door.

“Come back in an hour. I’ll put everything outside.”

 

4.

“Changkyun told me you refused to see him.”

Kihyun is sitting on the floor, since it’s clean enough to do so nowadays. Minhyuk is laying on the sofa, playing with a cat toy Kihyun forgot to put with the rest of Captain Fracasse’s stuff. He hopes that the cat won’t miss it. He does hope that the cat will miss him.

“Yeah.”

“Fracasse peed everywhere in his new place.”

“Really?”

He can’t help the glee that slips into his voice and Minhyuk turns to look at him, eyebrows raised.

“Yeah. On the bed and then the sofa.”

Kihyun secretly hopes Changkyun sat in it.

“He also scratched the best armchair and refused to eat until Changkyun bought the most expensive brand.”

His cheeks hurt and Kihyun realizes he probably hasn’t smiled that much in a long time. Minhyuk rolls over to flop on his belly, and Kihyun thinks in passing that cat toys really do suit him.

“You raised him as petty as you are.”

“I’m not petty.”

“You didn’t even let him in your apartment.”

“Sorry I ruined your plot.”

“It wasn’t a plot. We genuinely needed someone to keep the cat and I thought you could use the company.”

Kihyun makes a vague gesture, because he’ll never admit he did like having the cat around, that Minhyuk was right, that he does feel better, even if there’s two empty spots in his life now, instead of one.

 

5.

The only reason Kihyun doesn’t slam the door in his face this time, is because he spots the cat carrier. He says nothing, just stares, and Changkyun shifts, uncomfortable.

“You look good.”

“I know. What do you want?”

Changkyun winces, scratches the back of his head, focuses his gaze on a point near Kihyun’s left ear to avoid looking at him.

“You were right. Captain Fracasse doesn’t remember me. He’s been impossible ever since we moved in. I think he misses you.”

A small smile floats on Kihyun’s lips, and he tries not to look too smug. He fails.

“And?”

“Do you want him back? If you do, I’m okay with it.”

He briefly considers going out of his way to make Changkyun even more uncomfortable, maybe get him to beg a little, but then he hears Captain mewl from inside the carrier, so he holds out his hand instead, trying out a sincere smile for once.

“Give it.”

Their fingers brush when the carrier changes hands, and Kihyun decides it doesn’t affect him. Nor does Changkyun’s too big sweater, the earrings he’s still wearing, or the fact that his hair are back to black. That Changkyun’s presence feels so familiar it almost hurt, that is does actually hurt, that he wants to grab him and see if they still fit into each other like they used to.

Instead, he sits on the floor with the carrier, and opens the door. Captain Fracasse is prudent at first, head held high, smelling the air. He takes one careful step, towards Kihyun outstretched hand, and his whole attitude changes when he recognizes him. He headbutts his hand, mewls again, and soon he’s curling up in the triangle of Kihyun’s crossed-legs, purring, eyes closed.

Changkyun is still awkwardly standing at the entrance, observing the scene. Kihyun has slow gestures, his slender fingers rubbing the soft spot behind the cat’s ears, who nuzzles against him. His face his soft, softer than what Changkyun remembers, softer than the last time he’s seen him, dark eyes clouded by unshed tears and mouth pinched in hurt and anger. He takes one step inside, crouches at their level. Kihyun raises his head, looks directly at him, and the softness doesn’t leave his eyes.

“He really likes you, doesn’t he. He was peeing everywhere the first few days. I kept stepping or sitting in it. It was great.”

Kihyun laughs, and it tugs at Changkyun’s heart. The smile stays on his lips as he scratches under Captain’s chin, the cat raising his head, eyes closed in bliss.

“That’s my boy. I raised you right, didn’t I?”

Kihyun does realize there’s an audience to his weird cooing, but he doesn’t care. Fracasse is back and Changkyun sat in pee, that’s all that matters.

“Do you… Do you still hate me?”

Kihyun’s hands still for a bit, and Fracasse opens his yellow eyes, looking up at him questioningly. So he resumes his petting, talking towards the cat rather than looking at Changkyun.

“I was hurt and angry. I didn’t hate you.”

“You avoided all my calls. I only got news through Minhyuk.”

“I needed time to understand. To let you go. To let my feelings die.”

“Did they?”

Kihyun looks up, his gaze sharpened, and Changkyun is too close suddenly, peering into his face. His eyes drop to the animal in his lap.

“Why does it matter now? You were bored, you left, I remained. That’s it.”

“Kihyun…”

Changkyun grabs the hand that’s stroking the cat’s fur, and his skin is warm and soft, softer than it used to be. There’s a lump in Kihyun’s throat and he doesn’t look up, staring at their hands instead, feeling like a cornered animal.

“Kihyun, look at me.”

Kihyun doesn’t. Kihyun bores hole into his cat’s fur and wishes he was anywhere but here.

“It wasn’t you I was bored of. It was everything else. Nothing felt right. I thought I needed change, and…”

“And you booked plane tickets for the other side of the world without telling me, I know, I was there when you disappeared.”

There’s a bitterness in his voice he didn’t think was still present, after all this time.

“I hope you found what you were looking for. Stop asking Minhyuk after me, I’m good. I don’t want to be your friend or whatever you think this could be. Leave me alone.”

He scoots Fracasse up in his arms and gets up, offering Changkyun a strained smile before disappearing into the kitchen. There’s the sound of the door closing as he puts the cat down on the counter, and Kihyun feels his eyes well up. It’s stupid, he thinks, so stupid, and he presses his face against the cat’s fur in an effort to quell the sobs he feels rising in his chest. He’s so done, crying over this.

“Hyung.”

The voice is small and hesitant, and Kihyun freezes, still holding the cat against him.

“I didn’t find what I was looking for. I regretted ever leaving as soon as I got off the plane. But it was too late to come back, wasn’t it? And I thought, I should make the best of it. And I did, but it wasn’t enough. You were missing in everything I did. You still are. Kihyun, I –”

“Shut the hell up, Changkyun.”

There’s a soft thump when the cat jumps off the counter, and Kihyun turns around, watching him pad over to Changkyun and rub against his leg in a show of affection that stuns them both. But Changkyun does shut up, and Kihyun looks at him, the lump in his throat dissolving in spiteful anger.

“So you left for what? Nothing? Get the fuck out, Changkyun. I asked you to leave me alone.”

Changkyun just nods, and leaves the kitchen, Captain sitting in the entrance and watching his back. Kihyun hates himself for wishing the other would have put up more of a fight.

 

6.

“That cat really loves you.”

It’s Kihyun’s turn to lie on the sofa, while Minhyuk is sitting on his polished floors. Captain Fracasse is curled up on his belly, purring away the last hours of the evening.

“I heard what happened.”

“Does Changkyun ever shuts up around you?”

“To be fair to him, he was really angsty, so I got him really drunk and then it was just a matter of time.”

Kihyun drops his gaze from the ceiling to Minhyuk’s stupid face, who’s looking way too proud of himself, sitting cross-legged with a canned beer in hand.

“He feels really bad, you know.”

“Let him. He’s the one who fucked it up.”

“Well, you kinda paved the way for him, though.”

“What?”

Minhyuk shrugs, knocks back his beer. The man always becomes a bit too honest when filled with alcohol, and Kihyun isn’t sure he wants to be on the receiving end of his insights this time.

“Well, I mean, come on. You were kind of a shitty boyfriend. I’m amazed you guys even lasted that long.”

“Fuck you, Minhyuk.”

There’s no real spite behind the insult, and Minhyuk just extends an arm to pat Kihyun’s thigh in empathy.

“Seriously. You know how insecure he was. And you did nothing to reassure him. I bet he thought you didn’t really give a shit.”

Kihyun winces. Minhyuk’s words sting, and he has nothing to say to defend himself. He _was_ kind of a shitty boyfriend. Too withdrawn. Too inconsiderate. Too busy. There’s a snort beside him and he stares at Minhyuk again, who looks way too bright for the topic at hand.

“He’s kinda like a dog.”

“What?”

Minhyuk tries to crush his empty can in one hand, fails, and just puts it on the coffee table before grabbing another one from the six-pack he brought. He doesn’t seem to mind being the only one drinking.

“You’re kinda like a cat. You’re petty and you like belly rubs, but you also like being alone so you don’t need people being all over you all the time. You know your worth. He’s like a dog. He’ll cry out if left alone for too long, and he needs you to be real open with him or he’s gonna think he did something wrong or whatever. Alone time is great until he starts thinking everyone secretly hates him. Dog, cat. I’m a fox, cause clearly I’m the smartest one around here.”

Kihyun sighs, rubbing at his face before he lets his hand fall to draw patterns on Captain’s fur with a light finger.

“So you’re saying I didn’t take care of him well enough and I just got what was coming to me.”

“Yup. As much as he loved you it still hurt. So when he had this opportunity to go abroad he thought, might as well take it. You should appreciate him doing things out of spite though, it’s your specialty after all.”

“He said he missed me.”

“Of course he does. You guys broke up cause you’re both stupid. I mean don’t get me wrong, what he did was really shitty. I guess you guys kinda deserve each other, you both suck at relationships.”

Someone should get up and turn the lights on, Kihyun thinks. Night has slipped unnoticed into the living room and it’s getting too dark to see. But he’s too comfortable, the warmth of the cat sleeping on his belly seeping into his being, and Minhyuk started singing a soft song to himself, sweet and appeasing. Kihyun’s voice is low when he speaks again, a little unsure, and he scratches the cat’s head to hear him purr.

“What’s to prevent us to mess up again?”

Minhyuk takes the time to finish his song before answering, leaning back on his hands, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

“Nothing, I guess. Relationships take conscious efforts, yeah? Love’s not enough. But at least now you know how much it sucks without him, so like. Gives you incentive to not fuck up ya’know.”

Minhyuk is lying flat on the floor now, cheeks tinted rosy, a content smile on his lips.

“Ya’ll should pay me for all of my good advice.”

 Kihyun snorts, the noise waking up Captain Fracasse. He mumbles an apology, stretches, and thinks that yeah, just maybe, Minhyuk might be a tiny bit right.

 

7.

It’s his turn to get a door slammed in his face, and it doesn’t feel good, to say the least. It opens again just a second later on a sheepish Changkyun, who’s looking at his shoes instead of Kihyun’s face.

“Sorry, I panicked. What are you doing here, hyung?”

“Can I come in?”

Changkyun seems to hesitate, before moving aside and letting Kihyun in. Kihyun sits down on a sofa, looking up at the younger man still hovering near the door, before he finally closes it and takes a seat on an armchair, the farthest away from Kihyun.

“How was the US?”

Changkyun frowns.

“Do you really wanna know, or are you just being polite?”

“I do really wanna know.”

So Changkyun tells him. About Boston, about the job, about meeting old friends. About missing home, and missing him. About being happy and sad at the same time, about finding himself through losing everything else. About being stronger, now, about finally knowing what he wants. About always having the worst timing, about how they met too early, and leaving was the best and the worst thing he could have done.

And Kihyun listens, and he nods, and he understands. He agrees, too. Too early, too rushed, too unprepared. But worth it to try again, maybe, after all. Worth it to see if they still fit together like they used to. Worth it to forget the hurt, the anger, the loneliness, to try and make something better out of the ruins left behind.

Changkyun’s too-big sweaters still smell like home. His hands may be softer but his touch is brazened; there’s a new fire in his eyes, under his skin, in his words. Kihyun does what he didn’t the first time. He lets Changkyun burn down his walls, leaves his mind as exposed as his body. Changkyun embraces all of it, all of him. And it feels right, this time. There’s no restlessness, no uncertainty. Changkyun stays put. He found what he was looking for.

 

 

 

(Minhyuk takes all the credit, milks it as much as he can to get free dinners and unlimited drinks. They relent, because he’s not wrong, per se. Captain Fracasse looks as smug as Minhyuk does sometimes, and he quickly takes to Changkyun, graciously letting him pat his head or play with his toe beans when he’s resting on Kihyun’s lap. This is it, then. This is home.)  

 

 

 

 


End file.
